


Don't Panic

by JuliettKilo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anxiety, Gen, Mental Health Issues, One Shot, Panic Attacks, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29953638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuliettKilo/pseuds/JuliettKilo
Summary: Some days life is a lot and the triggers to a breakdown can come from the smallest of things. Hermione Granger is not an exception.





	Don't Panic

Walking back into her office with hurried steps, Hermione quickly shut the door and threw up a privacy charm. Safely secluded, she crumbled to the floor in tears. Curling in on herself, she released all the pent up emotions that surfaced over the past few minutes. 

Earlier, Hermione was chatting with a coworker about a recently finished project she’d spent weeks working on. Conversation steered to discussion of other active projects and general life. Luna paused and looked seriously at Hermione before asking her earnestly, “how are you doing?”

Hermione gave a text book answer and excused herself, stating she had to get ready for a meeting. Inside, Hermione was a whirlwind of emotions. Such a simple question asked with genuine care sent Hermione’s head into overdrive. Suddenly she was hit by how much was on her plate. All the tasks, professional and personal, that had been piling up on her mental to do list crashed into her. Stress over the size of that list, anxiety about how she would ever make any progress, and frustration at herself for not being able to handle it all without emotional outbursts ran through her mind. Her heart raced and fear mixed with sadness overtook her. Everything was just too much, too much of everything. Everyone expected too much from her, at work, at home, and among her friends. The burden was too large.

Gasping tears shook her body as her mind gradually calmed. Slowly she came back to her center. Focusing on the most prominent thoughts, Hermione reasoned through them by developing a plan of action. She could do this. She couldn't do everything, but she could get through this day. She could work through her list task by task, delegate, and remind everyone around her about her boundaries. There was a difference between being helpful and running herself into the ground. 

Several deep breaths and a refreshing charm later, Hermione stood again. At her desk, she pulled out the appropriate report and headed to her next meeting on the schedule.

**Author's Note:**

> Dealing with mental illness is wearing. Some days are great, some are not. Then there are moments where your body tenses up and panic overtakes you. It's exhausting and troubling. You feel adrift and ungrounded. 
> 
> Therapy is good for everyone, even if you don't think your problems are big enough to justify it. Medication to address mental illness saves lives. Both treatment options are valid for general health. And more importantly, they are common. Don't just keep all the emotions and dark thoughts inside because you think you are alone in these feelings. You are not alone, in fact more people around you than you would expect are processing similar thoughts and emotions.


End file.
